HEFNER DEAD Hugh Hefner, the man who did more than just about anyone to circulate obscene material, has died at the age of 91. http://cvote.it/2wY4NGH
DETAILS OF TAX PLAN President Trump campaigned in Indianapolis to sell his new tax plan, claiming: “There’s never been tax cuts like we’re talking about.” His plan doubles the individual and couple deduction and it lowers the corporate tax to 20%. The individual tax rates would be 12 percent, 25 percent and 35 percent — and the plan recommends a surcharge for the very wealthy. http://cvote.it/2wXwrnl
MISSING PART OF TAX PLAN The Trump tax plan eliminates personal deductions, which will certainly ear to all parents who claim this $4,050 deduction for each of their children. The Trump plan said the current $1,000 per child tax credit would be increased, but they didn’t mention by how much. Sens. Mike Lee, R-Utah, and Marco Rubio, R-FL, immediately recommended that the per child tax credit “must be at least doubled.” http://cvote.it/2wXEGQ5
SCALISE RECOVERY Rep. Steve Scalise, R-LA, will give his first interview since he was shot on a baseball field this June. He’ll appear on 60 Minutes this Sunday. http://cvote.it/2wXwVtI
TAXPAYER FUNDS FOR ABORTION Republicans who support abortion are a rare breed, thankfully. But unfortunately for Illinois taxpayers, they have one as governor. And Gov. Bruce Rauner has told his staff that he will sign a bill to provide taxpayer funding for abortions, breaking a pledge he made in his campaign. http://cvote.it/2wYe9SN
PUERTO RICO An obscure U.S. law requires that shipments between two U.S. ports be on U.S.-built, U.S.-manned, and U.S.-owned vessels. It sounds patriotic, but can often drive up costs. Republicans and Democrats have joined together to ask the Trump administration to grant a waiver for Puerto Rico to help get supplies to the hurricane-ravaged island faster. http://cvote.it/2wXsEq8
EXECUTIVE ORDER President Trump is preparing an executive order to let Americans purchase health insurance across state lines. http://cvote.it/2wXO8mR
ON THE HOT SEAT President Trump is “not happy” with health secretary Tom Price over his scandal of using very expensive charter flights instead of flying commercial. The 24 charter flights are estimated to have cost taxpayers $300,000. Making matters worse? Conservatives are reluctant to back Price because they complain he hasn’t been aggressive in rolling back Obamacare regulations. When asked if he would fire him, Trump replied: “We’ll see.” http://cvote.it/2wXQi5E
ENEMY WITHIN 2nd Lt. Spenser Rapone went to social media to weigh in on the NFL controversy, but he also declared “Communism will win.” And that’s not all he’s said. West Point immediately opened an investigation. The former congressman who nominated him to West Point condemned Rapone. And Rapone’s father said he does not “condone his politics, his actions or behavior.” http://cvote.it/2wXUpPk
MOVING TO A RED STATE A Californian writes about her experience moving to Indiana. “As I got to know my new Midwest home, I realize how living in a bubble and subscribing to the Middle America stereotypes is truly damaging to this country.” http://cvote.it/2wY9dgH
CHURCH DEBATE Cardinal Mueller suggests Pope Francis appoint group of Cardinals to debate his critics, saying the Pope deserves “full respect” and his “honest critics deserve a convincing answer.” http://cvote.it/2wXFBA6
THE OLD EVANGELIZATION “Today the Church is awash in ‘programs.’ Most of these programs are well-intentioned, but there isn’t much evidence to suggest that they’re successful in leading people into a deeper commitment to Christ in the Catholic Church,” writes Eric Sammons. http://cvote.it/2wXLqxD
SAINT OF THE DAY Saint Wenceslaus – http://cvote.it/dailysaint
DAILY MASS READINGS “The Lord takes delight in his people.” (Ps 149:4) – http://cvote.it/Daily-Readings
WOW Statues of the Virgin Mary are surviving disasters unscratched, and nobody knows why. http://cvote.it/2wXKMQt